


Of Love and Holography

by lori (zakhad), zakhad



Series: Captain and Counselor, the revised versions [22]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 02:24:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19141675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zakhad/pseuds/lori, https://archiveofourown.org/users/zakhad/pseuds/zakhad
Summary: Long distance relationships are difficult. Fortunately, there's always subspace and holography.





	Of Love and Holography

Beverly came back to her quarters on the  _Valiant_ to find Wesley gone. Exhaling, she asked the computer, and found he was on a holodeck. The call to sickbay had taken a little longer than she'd thought.

By the time he came back she had changed into a comfortable outfit, soft pants and matching green shirt. "Hi, Mom, need help?" he asked. He watched her put a couple of glasses on the table. He'd been wearing plain gray pants and long-sleeved shirts in muted colors, something that made her wonder if he simply wasn't paying much attention to what he wore.

"I think I've got it. Have a good time today?" She went back to the replicator for her food. "I had another uneventful and routine day in sickbay. It will probably change soon -- I think they're sending away teams in a couple of days. Sometimes the surveys are fairly involved. Would you like to sit down?"

Wes sat at the table, and she suffered a moment of dislocation and angst. He looked so much like his father now. She began to eat and kept glancing at the man she didn't know, who had replaced the boy she'd raised. 

"Is everything okay, Mom?"

She looked up from her pasta dish to find him looking concerned. "Okay? Yes. But I admit that I'm having difficulty adjusting here. It's been a year, and it's just not the same."

Sympathy in his brown eyes. "I noticed. I tried to get a game of spring ball going, or maybe find someone to go skiing with me. Not so many folks here who like to do that. So... why did you leave the  _Enterprise_?"

Beverly didn't want to go there, but she also didn't want to lie. "It's a long story."

"As long as mine?" Wes grinned, and kept eating. "I was on this world a few weeks ago, where there were people who reminded me of home. It made me think of all those theories, about parallel evolution and so forth."

She wondered what he meant by home -- she assumed Earth, as he'd been at the Academy. Her son had been raised in places she had been stationed; he had a different idea of home. "Remember the time we found the hologram that told us our galaxy had been seeded and we're all related?"

"Yeah. It was one of Captain Picard's archaeology mentors who started that one, I think." Wes seemed less happy, after that statement.

"So what did you talk to him about?" He'd spent some time on Casperia talking to Jean-Luc, but not a word from either man as to the outcome, and she remembered Wes' serious expression afterward. 

"Mom," he complained, shaking his head. But then he capitulated. With a great sigh, he sagged in his chair and put down his fork. "You know what he said. Asked me what I was going to do and where I was going to go, if I learned anything profound -- the usual questions."

"All valid questions, nothing I didn't already ask, I'm sure. But I'm less concerned about your goals than I am about you. If you're depressed, lonely -- things that I think I would be, after wandering on my own through the galaxy. And returned to find things are very different, and no one is where you expect, so there's no reference point to start again from." She'd been waiting to bring it up, in the vain hope that he would start to talk himself. But after two weeks of waiting, and watching him semi-moping, she thought it was time.

Wes rolled his eyes. "I had an idea, about talking to someone about going back to the Academy to finish. But it didn't feel right any more than it did before. I don't know if depressed is the right word. I guess... I don't know how to feel. Things are different than when I left. It's like -- you're different, the captain is different. Will Riker is different. Everyone is. And when you say depressed and I look at all of you, that's how it is, depressing. I wasn't the only one who got lost."

"It's true. Everyone is lost." Beverly sighed heavily, thinking about sickbay during the war. "The Dominion War was disillusioning."

"Everyone mentions it, no one talks about it. So I'm sure that means it was a life-changer."

"And so things are changing. I'm changing too. So this is just one stop along the way to the next good thing."

Wes took a long drink of tea, and another bite of his sandwich. He seemed to have let it go, until he asked, "So who is this guy?"

"Guy," she echoed, knowing full well what he meant.

"The one in the wedding pictures." Wes had a grin that said he knew exactly what was going on. "Tom Glendenning?"

"Are you asking about him, or whether I'm having sex with him?"

"Aw, Mom," he exclaimed, raising his arms and resting his hands on his head. At least he had the grace to blush. "I just wondered -- I know it's a little more than having sex with him. He calls you a lot."

She hadn't realized he had figured that out. She knew she was blushing, but she smiled and poked at the remnants of her meal. "He does. I guess I could introduce you."

"Sure, he should be calling any time now. Right?"

"I guess disappearing for a while after dinner was the tipoff?" She picked up her plate. "Come on."

They recycled dishes and went out the door. "So why do you have to leave quarters to talk to him?"

"I don't have to -- but there's an upgrade that I like to take advantage of at least once a week. We can use the holodeck, if there's one open. I have a reservation for one tonight." She led him into the lift, and they exited on deck six, walked the short distance to holodeck one, and she took a moment to key in a few instructions before heading inside.

"Isn't this a lot like the room we were just in?" Wes asked, looking around. It was indeed a standard issue living room. Gray carpet, gray furnishings, with a few red or black cushions here and there.

Beverly sighed. "Yes. It is. Would you rather have a different setting for meeting your new stepfather?"

Wes gaped, then took in her expression and started to laugh with her. "Man, you almost had me."

"Almost," she said, trying to settle her stomach. It fortunately didn't take long for the call to come in.

"Bridge to Crusher -- you have an incoming transmission." Lieutenant-Commander Torkon didn't bother to tell her who, any more, unless it was someone other than Tom. His way of telling her who it was, she supposed.

"Put it through to holodeck one, thank you."

There was a brief pause, while Wes looked at her and she waited with crossed arms, pacing a little. A flicker, and there was Tom, standing in the middle of the room, looking snappy in his uniform. He noticed Wes at once, and so the happy, flirty, goofy smile was quickly subdued. Tom gestured at her son. "This the competition?"

Beverly laughed -- Tom knew who Wes was, she'd told him that her son was visiting. "Wesley, this is Captain Tom Glendenning."

"Nice to meet you, sir," Wes said. He held out a hand.

Tom's hologram shook hands briefly. "I hear you're good with a warp engine," Tom said. "Too bad you're not Starfleet. I hear rumors there's actual movement in the transwarp project that's been off and on for a couple centuries."

Wes gaped at the man -- it was typical Tom, Beverly thought with a smile. She'd heard him take control of conversations repeatedly at the Picard/Troi wedding reception. Controlling the narrative was Tom's way of keeping the conversation off things he really didn't want to discuss, such as his own career.

"So your mom," Tom said, with such a saucy grin that there was no mistaking the mischief. 

"Yeah?" Wes had Jack's version of the mischievous grin.

"Oh, this is ridiculous," Beverly blurted. 

Tom laughed, they both did, and she put her hands to her temples with mock dismay and laughed too. It was something she'd been doing a lot, since meeting Tom. Laughter was something she'd missed, in the months after leaving the  _Enterprise_. 

"So is this a good time to ask you what your intentions toward my mother are?" Wes asked, as the laughter died off.

"Nothing good. Fortunately, she's got her own ideas about things. So are you around for a while longer?" Tom's easy manner was so startling. She could almost believe he actually knew Wes. 

"I'd like to go visit the  _Enterprise_ for a while. I grew up there," Wes said. Which was partially true, he'd been aboard maybe two years at most, but perhaps it was more reflective of the level of attachment he felt than reality.

"I bet they'd give you work to do. They seem really busy, that flagship," Tom said, which suggested he paid attention. "You should come see me at some point, too."

Beverly stared at Tom -- that really was above and beyond. She definitely hadn't expected that from him. 

"Sure," Wes said. He was surprised too. Wes looked to her, and his smile became less tentative. "Maybe after I go see Captain Riker. I'll go -- let you guys talk. See you later, Captain."

"Tom is fine. See you, Wes."

"See you, Tom." Wes flashed her a grin and left the holodeck. Once the door vanished, Tom looked around, hands on his hips.

"So if I ask the computer for a dance floor instead of a living room, does a holodeck that's light years away respond?"

The holodeck responded -- the furniture dematerialized and the floor changed, from carpet to something smooth and easy to dance on. 

Tom slapped his hands together and rubbed his palms. "Nice. Shall we?"

Beverly came to him, as she asked for something to waltz to, and the arms that went around her felt as real as the holodeck ever did. It was a little strange, but it looked like Tom, it felt like him, and then he leaned and she felt his lips brush her earlobe.

"Not a bad way to spend some time," he murmured, and it sounded like he was  _right there_.

"I'm enjoying it. Thanks for being so good to Wes -- he's having a tough time." She'd already told him chapter and verse about her son and his incredible talent.

They waltzed around for a bit, and she closed her eyes and enjoyed the illusion that she was in his arms. 

"He's a good kid."

She raised her head and moved slightly away, so she could look at him. "I wish he were still a kid," she said, and realized what she'd said only after she'd said it. "I mean -- I miss my child. I love him as he is, but I miss the boy he was."

"And if you're anything like any other parent I've met, there are a bunch of things you wish you'd done better."

She stopped dancing abruptly, and her hand went over her mouth. His hands -- the hologram's hands -- took her by the shoulders. 

"Hey. S'alright."

The sob escaped, she tried not to cry, but he was pulling her into his arms anyway. His hand on her back rubbing her, consoling her, brought the rest of it bubbling up. He held her until the shaking and the crying slowed, and held her for another little while as he swayed with her in slow circles. 

"Sorry," she said at last, trying to shake it off. 

Tom watched her face, not saying a word. He kept his hands on her shoulders and seemed to be waiting for another round.

"Not how I wanted to spend our time."

That made him smile again. "Not worried about it. Not going anywhere."

Beverly couldn't help smiling back, and wished this wasn't a hologram. But his hands, his chest, all of it felt real -- at the other end, no doubt, her doppelgänger felt just as real. The times they had used this technology to dance and sit together talking, they hadn't touched each other much at all. He'd joked but hadn't actually done anything to test his theory that the sex would be just as good.

"I wish you were here," she murmured.

"I do too, hon. I really do. Might be able to, sooner than you think -- they're wanting to launch another Sovereign class. I'm talking to admirals about it."

She inhaled -- it stopped the attempt at smiling, gave her a real one. "Really?"

"Hoping they're desperate enough to give it to me, that way I can get you a nice shiny new sickbay for Christmas."

She laughed, again, and they started to waltz once more. "What a nice Christmas that will be."

"I thought it was a great present for me, too."

She made an incredulous little squeak as his hand closed on her left buttock. "It really is a convincing holo-program, isn't it?"

"Felt good to me. How about...." He came in for a kiss. A long, thorough one with additional attention from his roaming hands. 

"Tom," she moaned in feeble protest. His hand was sliding down her pants.

"Nice," he mumbled. "Gonna revolutionize long distance relationships, sure thing."

Beverly kissed him again, but his fingers -- it didn't feel like a hologram at the moment -- were making her twitch. 

"Give it a try?" Tom murmured.

"Computer -- change program, Risan resort, bedroom," Beverly said. 

The holodeck changed around them as Tom turned them about and managed to aim them at the bed. She managed to remember to ask for a secure lock on the holodeck, as they pulled at each other's clothes. 

"I've never used a holodeck like this," she exclaimed. Tom finished peeling the pants she wore from her left foot and crawled up the bed between her legs. She moaned as he bent to apply his mouth and tongue as only he had ever done for her. He was so good at making her orgasm, repeatedly. He was impatient tonight, though, as she came he shifted positions.

"We're going to do this again," he said as he moved over her, leaning down to kiss her breast. "Hell, might set up emitters in my quarters." He glanced at her face and froze in place, almost ready to move in. "You all right?"

"I didn't expect this."

Tom sat back, moving to her right, and looked worried. It hurt to see. She sat up, reaching for him. The bed shuddered as he turned about to sit next to her and take the offered hand. 

"Verly?"

The nickname was new, as unique as Tom -- she laughed, drawing up her knees and feeling awkward. "Tom. I love you."

Using the words seemed to electrify him. As obvious as it was that they had gotten there quickly, she'd never said it out loud. "You -- um. Oh." He grinned like a big kid. "I love you, too."

"Come here."

She backed herself up the bed against the headboard, coaxed him to sit with her, facing her, wrapping his legs around her as she did the same. Penetration was a mutual endeavor and they ended up face to face, in lotus.

"I like the way you think," Tom said, putting a hand on her breast as he kissed her cheek. 

It was a nice way to move together, that let them use their hands as well. And easy to hold each other and kiss, in the post-coital bliss. They moved on to a shower, both of them knowing their time was finite -- they only had an hour, after all. 

"I'll talk to you tomorrow. Unless there's a red alert." The same thing he always said, at the end of every conversation. 

"I look forward to it." She straightened her shirt, smiled sadly at him, and kissed him lightly. 

"Time is up," the computer announced. He managed a wave as the holo-program disintegrated around her. 

Beverly sighed, deeply, and left the holodeck. She didn't make eye contact with the lieutenant waiting in the corridor. Once back in her quarters, she hugged herself and headed into her bedroom, glad Wes had apparently gone to his own quarters. 

It looked like the rest of her time aboard the  _Valiant_ might be more tolerable than she thought.


End file.
